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Chess Software…

Chess Software…. Interfaces Engines Online play Databases Portable Game Notation (PGN) Forsyth – Edwards Notation (FEN). Interface. Xboard (Linux) / Winboard (Windows) [FREE] Comes with a few engines and works with others Works with ICS and FCS sites

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Chess Software…

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  1. Chess Software…

  2. Interfaces • Engines • Online play • Databases • Portable Game Notation (PGN) • Forsyth – Edwards Notation (FEN)

  3. Interface • Xboard (Linux) / Winboard (Windows) [FREE] • Comes with a few engines and works with others • Works with ICS and FCS sites • Can play PGN games but no significant database functions • Web Interfaces • Some servers and web sites provide their own interface. • Fritz $$ - • Fritz engine and others • ChessBase Databases – Some database functions • Playchess • Analysis friendly • ChessBase $$$ - • Works with Fritz $$ • ChessBase compatible – WAY COOL for this • Very sophisticated for analysis

  4. Interfaces • What you see, “touch,” use • Can work with multiple engines, sites, databases etc. • Not all interfaces work with all engines, sites, databases • Some interfaces are easier to use than others

  5. Engines Free Gonna Cost Ya • Crafty • Hydra • Fruit • Pulsar • ChessBase Products • Fritz $$ • Deep Rybka $$$ • Chiron $$ • ChessGenius $$ • It used to be, years ago, that engines were good in the opening as they had a small database in them, outstanding in the middle game, and weak in the end game. • That’s not true any more. • Each of these programs can KICK YOUR BUT! • The question is, which features work for you.

  6. Engine and Interface, Together • When you put an interface together with an engine you can now play against the computer. • Some products come pre-assembled. • Fritz and WinBoard both come with an interface and an engine. • You need to look for features and ease of use vs. cost.

  7. Online Play • WARNING WARNINGWARNINGYou are interacting with real people over the internet. While MOST are normal decent folks, there are people who may want to harm you. DO NOT pass out ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION. • YOU MUST HAVE MOM or DAD’s PERMISSION TO PLAY ONLINE • DO NOT PASS OUT YOUR: • Name • Places • Birthdates • Phone Numbers • Addresses • Email addresses • FaceBook / Twitter info • Etc.

  8. Online Play • Free Sites • Playchess (free) • Store your games for you (ChessBase Format) • Free interface • Limited number of players/rooms • FICS (Free Internet Chess Server) • Store your games (PGN) • Free interface • Not user friendly • Pay Sites • Playchess (paid - $$) • Store your games for you (ChessBase Format) • Free interface • Tons of Players • Good manners • TONS of players • ICC (Internet Chess Club - $$) • Store your games (PGN) • Free interface • Tons of Players • Good manners • TONS of players

  9. Databases • Chess databases store large numbers of games and allow you to play through these games. • Some can search by player, position, key piece placement, specific moves (e.g. QxRe7). • Used to research opening and other positions / tactics • Provide statistics on positions and lines. (win / loss / draw) • Some interface with engines to help with analysis • Formats vary and it is not always easy to share data between programs. PGN (Portable Game Notation) is the most basic format. • Data in the database, is the games themselves. • It is not the software used to search the data. • Must be in a format the database can read / understand. • Most can import PGN • Important to use clean data • High quality games only (GM’s and FM’s only) • No Repeats • Minimize pre-arranged draws. • Free data is not often clean

  10. Databases ChessBase Scid • The one that started it all • HUGE Databases that are VERY clean • Expensive $$$ • Ultra-high quality • Good FREE Database • Comes with a small database • Have to build / find your own from PGN games • Linix / MacOS / Windows • A bit tough to use • Short on some features Other databases:Chess Assistant $$PosBase $$ NicBase Other FREE databases:ChessPadCDB Jose ChessBase Light WinBoard – sort of

  11. PGN (Portable Game Notation) • Defined format for chess games. • Text or TXT file with a PGN extension. • Like a .doc or .jpeg file • Human readable • You don’t need special software to read it. • Game data is surrounded by brackets [ ] with the field name after the first bracket and the value of the field surrounded by quote marks “” • Format is algebraic notation. • Not all software can read variations • Supports FEN [Event "New Orleans"] [Site "?"] [Date "1847.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Morphy, Paul"] [Black "Morphy, Alonzo"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C33"] [PlyCount "35"] [EventDate "1847.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 Qh4+ 4. Kf1 Bc5 5. d4 Bb6 6. Nf3 Qe7 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Qd3 c6 9. Bxf4 d5 10. exd5 O-O 11. d6 Qd8 12. Re1 Re8 13. Ng5 Rxe1+ 14. Kxe1 Qe8+ 15. Kd2 Be6 16. Re1 Nbd7 17. Nxe6 fxe6 18. Rxe6 1-0

  12. FEN (Forsyth – Edwards Notation) • Defines a position on the board. • Piece placement (from white's perspective). Each rank is described, starting with rank 8 and ending with rank 1; within each rank, the contents of each square are described from file a through file h. Following the Standard Algebraic Notation (SAN), each piece is identified by a single letter taken from the standard English names (pawn = "P", knight = "N", bishop = "B", rook = "R", queen = "Q" and king = "K").[1] White pieces are designated using upper-case letters ("PNBRQK") while black pieces use lowercase ("pnbrqk"). Blank squares are noted using digits 1 through 8 (the number of blank squares), and "/" separate ranks. • Active color. "w" means white moves next, "b" means black. • Castling availability. If neither side can castle, this is "-". Otherwise, this has one or more letters: "K" (White can castle kingside), "Q" (White can castle queenside), "k" (Black can castle kingside), and/or "q" (Black can castle queenside). • En passant target square in algebraic notation. If there's no en passant target square, this is "-". If a pawn has just made a two-square move, this is the position "behind" the pawn. This is recorded regardless of whether there is a pawn in position to make an en passant capture.[2] • Halfmove clock: This is the number of halfmoves since the last pawn advance or capture. This is used to determine if a draw can be claimed under the fifty-move rule. • Fullmove number: The number of the full move. It starts at 1, and is incremented after Black's move.

  13. An FEN Example 8/3kb3/3Nn1p1/4Q3/1Pp1N1P1/2P5/5PK1/4q3 b - - 0 50

  14. Software is Good for… Bad for… • Reviewing your own games • Playing through drills and positions • Researching opening • Analyzing games • Accessing on line play • Being an opponent • Understanding why moves are made (that requires your brain) • Your wallet or your time

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